Or they get rid of zaitsev and wait one year for Marleau to leave then they will be fine

If you think anyone is taking Zaitsevs contract, and giving you anything in return, you're nuts.

Well if op had put the cap to where it is expected to be, you wouldn't even have to move Z, just wait!

Try more like Zaitsev+Toronto's 2020 1st round pick to any team. To Toronto a 2020 5th rounder that's probably the best offer they will receive.

There are quite a few takers on zaitsev. He does have some good things about him

What good things he may have are completely mitigated by that contract.

Uhhhh...you sure about that? Name some. I'd argue that if another team really was a "taker," don't you think the Leafs would have traded him by now?

Also, you propose an overrated and overpaid winger - one who albeit admittedly has upside - for one of the top RHD in hockey AND you ask for a 3rd round pick. I think you overvalue Nylander. Lots of "over" to be found with that young man.

Lou lamarelo, gm of Anaheim loves players like zaitsev, Edmonton, Florida, Vegas to name a few. Dubas wants to "sell high" on him. Zaitsev does have the skills but I think babcock kind of ruined him. He has so much skill, he can skate, pass in the OZ and so good offensively and that is why he got that contract and 34ish points. Babcock turned him into an off the glass and out, stay at home defenseman which he is not very good at. If babs could let zaitsev show his offensive skill and play him less in the DZ it would raise his trade value to more teams.

He is a decent sized right shot D with so much skill that is being wasted in his current role. His highlights from Russia show how much skill he has but babs refuses to put him in a position to succeed. He is good offensively and he could be decent defensively if he would take a bit more time to pass the puck up to the forwards instead of flipping it up and out.